REGULATORY REFORM ACTION PLAN - Revised Liberia EDUCATION November 13, 1996 ALBERTA EDUCATION CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA Alberta. Alberta Education. Regulation reform: action plan - revised ISBN 0-7732-5192-8 1 . Education law and legislation - A lberta. 2. Delegated legislation - A lberta. 3. Educational change - A lberta. I . Title. KEA488.2.A33.A333 1996 344.071 For more information on the Regulatory Reform Action Plan - R evised please contact: Communications Branch Planning Branch Alberta Education Alberta Education 1 1 160 Jasper Avenue 1 1 1 60 Jasper Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0L2 Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0L2 Phone: (403)427-2285 Phone: (403)427-8217 Fax: (403)427-0591 Fax: (403)422-5255 Copyright® 1996, the Crown in Right of Alberta, as represented by the Minister of Education. Alberta Education, Planning Branch, 1 1 160 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 0L2. Permission is hereby given by the copyright owner for any person to reproduce this document for educational purposes and on a nonprofit basis. TABLE OF CONTENTS BACKGROUND 1 PURPOSE OF REGULATORY REFORM 1 GUIDING PRINCIPLES . 2 ALBERTA EDUCATION REGULATIONS 3 DEREGULATION ACTIONS, 1989 - 1995 4 Deregulation: 1989 - 1994 4 Deregulation: 1995 5 REGULATION REVIEW: 1996 STATUS AND 1997 - 1999 SCHEDULES 7 1996 Regulation Review Status 7 1997 - 1998 Regulation Review Schedules 10 1998 - 1999 Policy Review Schedules 12 APPENDIX A: LEGISLATION FRAMEWORK 16 APPENDIX B: TIMELINES FOR REVIEW SCHEDULES: 1997- 1999 18 BACKGROUND In August 1995, the government released a workplan, "Alberta Regulatory Reform: Improving the Alberta Advantage," with a view to consider for possible elimination or amendment every existing government regulation, and to retain "only those regulations 'necessary' to ensure protection of the public interest." A Regulatory Reform Task Force was established, chaired by Gary Friedel, MLA Peace River, and made up of members primarily from the private sector. The chairman met with the Minister and Deputy Minister from each government department to 'outline general strategy and process, set goals, establish reduction targets and provide general briefing.' The key deliverables for each department include: • a list of and complete details of all regulations sorted as to department, boards and agencies; • a regulatory reform plan (using a 'Sunset Plan' and reporting format developed by the Task Force to provide consistency); • a plan for Task Force review relative to review criteria or goals; and, • an approved regulatory reform plan referenced in the department's three-year business plan and performance measurement system for 1996 - 1997. This revision updates the action plan to October 1 996, reports progress achieved to that date and amends the regulatory / p olicy review schedules for 1997 to 1999. PURPOSE OF REGULATORY REFORM The following reform criteria must be met to retain a regulation. A regulation must: • be necessary for the maintenance and / o r enhancement of public health, education, order or safety; • contribute significantly and positively to the competitiveness of the private sector in the province, including promotion of innovation and encouragement of efficiency in the conduct of business [of education]; • be necessary for effective internal administration of the government of the province. To this end, the primary purpose of Alberta Education's regulatory reform is to modify or eliminate regulations, policies and other department operating procedures and practices that have become cumbersome or outdated and that get in the way of school boards doing their jobs in responding to the educational needs of students. The Page 1 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/regulatoryreformOOalbe objective is to reduce costs and accelerate and improve decision-making in education. The intent is to create an environment for change that will enable the "business" of education in Alberta to be conducted more efficiently, effectively and responsively. GUIDING PRINCIPLES To provide a context for Alberta Education's regulatory reform, the following principles will be adopted by the department: • Ensure regulatory reform results in improved accountability mechanisms. • Ensure regulatory reform supports quality curriculum and standards of performance based on curriculum objectives. • Ensure retained regulations will be enabling and permissive rather than restrictive, but directive as required to ensure compliance with the Government Accountability Act and implementation of the provincial Business Plan directions. A major focus will be to reduce the cost of compliance, simplify procedures and speed up approvals. • Focus regulations on goals, objectives and outcomes rather than process and support the focus on results. • Ensure the ability to mediate and, if n ecessary, arbitrate disputes. • Ensure that regulatory reform supports the implementation of the three year business plan and the plan's directions to enhance local decision-making, while maintaining only sufficient central authority to provide for province-wide education standards. (See Figure 1 .) • Make views and concerns of Albertans affected by the department's regulations a primary measurement focus. Extensive consultations with stakeholders are an important component of providing a responsive and relevant education system in Alberta. • Ensure department regulations are clear and concise, with simplified procedures and requirements, and reasonable cost to government, stakeholders, and the public. These principles and the relationship between accountability requirements in the business plan are represented in Figure 1 . Page 2 Figure 1 - Accountability Cycle - School Authority Three-Year Education Plans - Annual Budgets - School Board Allocations to Areas for Improvement - Provincial Annual / ^v^^ ARuedsiutlst s o fR eAploberrttian g ^ " Education ALBERTA EDUCATION REGULATIONS Alberta Education regulations derive their authority from specific sections of the School Act and the Government Organization Act. Regulations are law and are designed to make the legislation work. Authority for a regulation is contained in a statute. On January 1, 1995, the Department of Education Act was replaced by the Government Organization Act. The sections of the Department of Education Act relating specifically to education matters were added to the School Act. A review of Alberta Education regulations must recognize that legislation passed to support education initiatives provides the Minister with the authority to enact regulations. Regulations are enacted often after extensive public consultations. All new regulations, written in cooperation with Legislative Counsel, incorporate plain language. An overview of the Legislation Framework for Education in Alberta is presented in Appendix A. Page 3